Section 405(b) occupant protection grant (23 C.F.R. & 1300.21; 23 U.S.C. & 405(b)) - grant to support certain costs of state occupant protection programs consistent with 23 C.F.R. & 1300.21(f)

The Department of Public Safety Louisiana received a $201,463.75 federal Formula Grant award from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under the National Priority Safety Programs (CFDA 20.616) on October 1, 2023. This funding supports the state's occupant protection programs and traffic safety initiatives to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities on Louisiana's roadways.

Key initiatives include the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force program conducted by University Medical Center Management Corp and the Overtime Traffic Safety Enforcement Program implemented by the Louisiana State Police. These evidence-based countermeasures focus on areas such as occupant protection, impaired driving, distracted driving, and pedestrian/bicycle safety through activities like law enforcement training, public education campaigns, and data system improvements. The funding will be utilized over a 4-year performance period from October 2023 through September 2027 as part of Louisiana's approved highway safety plan.

Section 405(b) funding is available to qualifying states that meet statutory requirements for a high or low seat belt use categories. These funds are apportioned using statutory apportionment formula. These funds are provided to the state and territorial highway safety offices based on an approved triennial highway safety plan that details problem identification, public participation and engagement, performance measures, countermeasure strategies for programming funds and an approved annual grant application that details planned projects using identified countermeasure strategies for programming funds to help reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities resulting from motor vehicle crashes.